5 Fun and Functional Solar-Powered Devices

Just like more and more people are choosing to drive hybrid or electric cars, there's also a movement towards exploring solar-powered tech. It's eco-friendly and often wireless, which is a win-win situation for me. Here are five of the most interesting solar-powered devices I've come across recently.

Night Night Light: I haven't needed a nightlight since I was 5 years old, but that doesn't stop me from always admiring all the great designs out there. This nightlight bear is powder-coated and made of steel. Each animal nightlight comes with a sun with a solar panel attached to the back. At night a glow lights up the outline of the bear and during the day it works as a friendly decoration.

Augusta Leather Bag: Noon Solar is a textile company that has a collection of leather bags that have a flexible, thin solar panel that charges a battery pack inside the bag. The battery then can charge small devices like your phone or iPod. The battery requires about 6 to 8 hours to become fully charged.

Kindle Cover: I'm all for reading on an eBook until it runs out of battery and I don't have any place to charge it, which is why this solar Kindle cover caught my attention. The cover has a built-in reserve powered that runs an LED light and charges your Kindle. Although there are solar panels built into the cover, it's still soft, flexible and lightweight. The cover gives your Kindle three times the regular battery life.

Keyboard Folio: I recently discovered the joys of using a keyboard with my iPad. I was delighted to come across Logitech's light-powered keyboard. It runs on both indoor and natural light. It's basically a stand, protective cover and keyboard all in one. It also comes in your standard black and gray, but you can also choose coral or blue if you're into more colorful tech.